Preparation and use of methionylmethionine as feed additive for fish and crustaceans

Abstract

An animal feed mixture containing DL-methionyl-DL-methionine and salts thereof for animals kept in aquacultures is provided. Methods for preparing DL-methionyl-DL-methionine of formula (I) and methods to fractionate the diasteriomeric forms obtained are also provided.

1 - 9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . A method for feeding an animal, comprising feeding the animal a feed mixture comprising a nutrient selected from the group consisting of DL-methionyl-DL-methionine, a salt thereof and a mixture of DL-methionyl-DL-methionine and a salt thereof,
 wherein the animal is kept in an aquaculture.   
     
     
         11 . The method as claimed in  claim 10 , where the animal kept in an aquaculture is at least one animal selected from the group consisting of a salt water fish, a salt water crustacean, a fresh water fish and a fresh water crustacean. 
     
     
         12 . The method as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the animal kept in an aquaculture is an animal selected from the group consisting of a carp, a trout, a salmon, a catfish, a perch, a flatfish, a sturgeon, a tuna, an eel, a bream, a cod, a shrimp, a hill and a prawn. 
     
     
         13 . The method as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the animal is selected from the group of animals consisting of a silver carp ( Hypophthalmichthys molitrix ), a grass carp ( Ctenopharyngodon idella ), a common carp ( Cyprinus carpio ), a bighead carp ( Aristichthys nobilis ), a carassius ( Carassius carassius ), a catla ( Catla Catla ), a  Roho labeo  ( Labeo rohita ), a Pacific salmon ( Salmon salar ) an Atlantic salmon ( Oncorhynchus kisutch ), a rainbow trout ( Oncorhynchus mykiss ), an American catfish ( Ictalurus punctatus ), an African catfish ( Clarias gariepinus ), a pangasius ( Pangasius bocourti  and  Pangasius hypothalamus ), a Nile tilapia ( Oreochromis niloticus ), a milkfish ( Chanos chanos ), a cobia ( Rachycentron canadum ), a whiteleg shrimp ( Litopenaeus vannamei ), a black tiger shrimp ( Penaeus monodon ) and a giant river prawn ( Macrobrachium rosenbergii ). 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the nutrient is a salt of DL-methionyl-DL-methionine and the salt comprises a cation selected from the group consisting of an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal, ammonium, Cu 2+ , Zn 2+ , Co 2+  and a mixture thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein a content of the nutrient in the animal feed mixture is from 0.01 to 5% by weight. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the feed mixture further comprises:
 protein and carbohydrate, obtained from a meal selected from the group consisting of fish meal, soybean meal, corn meal, and mixtures thereof, and,   optionally, a supplement selected from the group consisting of an essential amino acid, a protein, a peptide, a vitamin, a mineral, a carbohydrate, a fat, an oil and a mixture thereof.   
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the DL-methionyl-DL-methionine or salt thereof comprises one mixture selected from the group consisting of a DD/LL/LD/DL mixture, a DL/LD mixture, and a DD/LL mixture. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the feed mixture further comprises 0.01 to 20% by weight DL-methionine. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the DL-methionyl-DL-methionine is a DL/LD-methionylmethionine pair of enantiomers. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 22 , wherein the feed mixture further comprises 0.01 to 20% by weight DL-methionine. 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the feed mixture is in the form of a pellet or an extrudate. 
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the nutrient is solely a DL/LD methionylmethionine pair of enantiomers. 
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the nutrient does not comprise a DD enantiomer of DL-methionyl-DL-methionine or a salt thereof